| Talking Back to Autism | ||
| A Mother's Courage | ||
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| Review by Ross Anthony | ||
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As a writer and educator, communication is my life. How about you? How often do you stop, collect your thoughts, then take the time to organize them in a way that others can readily understand? While this is a skill (and art) that we spend our lives developing, it's something we were able to do since we were children. But, what if, at a young age, our neural communication wires were crossed and tangled making communication so unmanageable that we just assumed we hadn't the capacity? But before you answer, consider also being hyper sensitive in one area of information reception, while deficient in another. How could you break out of that? Would you even be able to know that there was something to break out of? How could those who loved you break in? This documentary follows an Icelandic family as they search for a way to communicate with an autistic son. Along the way, viewers gain insight into this frustrating and difficult plight as other families speak candidly about their feelings on the matter. Several strategies of teaching the autistic are touched upon, but it's really Soma Mukhopadhyay's "Rapid Prompting Method" that becomes the focus. In fact, the production breaks out of its own rhythm, and standard documentary format, to not just talk about this method, but actually show it in action. In long uncut clinical-feeling segments viewers will get more than just a feel for this method. Its results are so amazing (at least on the subjects shown), that "eye-opening" is a term that barely scratches the surface of its power. Sweeping shots of the Icelandic landscape are included along with the music of Bjork. Both add entertainment value to a production already of great educational use. That said, the ending ballooning climactic music is a little too much. Such an auditory accent is completely unnecessary, as a child speaking his mind for the first time is plenty powerful to bring an a/v presentation to culmination, and more than just a few viewers to tears. Frankly, inspirational. |
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Grade..........................A- (3/4) |
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Copyright © 1998-2023 Ross Anthony, Author - Speaker - Solo World Circumnavigator In addition to reviewing films and interviewing celebs at HollywoodReportCard.com, traveling the world, composing great music, motivational speaking, Mr. Anthony also runs his own publishing company in the Los Angeles area. While traversing the circumference of the planet writing books and shooting documentaries, Mr. Anthony has taught, presented for, worked &/or played with locals in over 30 countries & 100 cities (Nairobi to Nagasaki). He's bungee-jumped from a bridge near Victoria Falls, wrestled with lions in Zimbabwe, crashed a Vespa off a high mountain road in Taiwan, and ridden a dirt bike across the States (Washington State to Washington DC). To get signed books ("Rodney Appleseed" to "Jinshirou") or schedule Ross to speak check out: www.RossAnthony.com or call 1-800-767-7186.
Go into the world and inspire the people you meet with your love, kindness, and whatever it is you're really good at. Check out books by Ross Anthony. Rand() functions, Pho chicken soup, rollerblading, and frozen yogurt (w/ blueberries) also rock! (Btw, rand is short for random. It can also stand for "Really Awkward Nutty Dinosaurs" -- which is quite rand, isn't it?) Being alive is the miracle. Special thanks to Ken Kocanda, HAL, Jodie Keszek, Don Haderlein, Mom and Pops, my family, R. Foss, and many others by Ross Anthony. Galati-FE also deserves a shout out. And thanks to all of you for your interest and optimism. Enjoy great films, read stirring novels, grow. |
